UCLA Neurosurgery Research Education Program SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The fundamental goal of the UCLA Neurosurgery Research Education Program is to train neurosurgery residents in basic, translational, or clinical science research through direct investigative study, oral/written scientific presentation, and intensive mentored career development. The structure of the training program incorporates two tiers of mentoring, with a culmination in the production of career development grant application (K-award) in the final year of the residency for each trainee. This training program is supported by an excellent institutional environment for neuroscience research and education in the UCLA Departments of Neurosurgery, Neuropathology, and Neuroradiology, as well as newly formed UCLA Neuroscience Theme Area. We have had long-standing, strong collaborations with faculty members within the Department of Neurology?s research education program. The UCLA Department of Neurosurgery has consistently been in the top 5 NIH-funded neurosurgery departments in the nation, and has a significant depth and breadth of clinical, translational, and basic research faculty with diverse and well-funded subspecialty programs. The residency program has a strong track record of training many academic neurosurgeons over the past 25 years. Our Neurosurgery Research Education Program leverages our past educational experiences and the strong Neuroscience community at UCLA in order to provide a distinct research training track specifically for neurosurgery residents and fellows who are inclined to pursue academic careers as independent researchers, with the overall long-term goal to ensure that highly trained neurosurgeon-scientists will be available to make future advances that will lead to a reduction in the burden of neurological diseases.